[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

[Daily Orthodox Readings and Saints]

Scripture Readings and Saints for Mon Oct 1 2007

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Genesis 28:10-17  (Vespers, 1st Reading)
10 Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran.
11 So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because
the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put
it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep.
12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and
its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending
and descending on it.
13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: I am the Lord God of
Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I
will give to you and your descendants.
14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall
spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south;
and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be
blessed.
15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will
bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have
done what I have spoken to you.
16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, Surely the Lord is in
this place, and I did not know it.
17 And he was afraid and said, How awesome is this place! This is none
other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!
Scripture Reading 1 of 6


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Ezekiel 43:27-44:4  (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
27 When these days are over it shall be, on the eighth day and
thereafter, that the priests shall offer your burnt offerings and your
peace offerings on the altar; and I will accept you, says the Lord
God.
1 Then He brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary which
faces toward the east, but it was shut.
2 And the Lord said to me, This gate shall be shut; it shall not be
opened, and no man shall enter by it, because the Lord God of Israel
has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut.
3 As for the prince, because he is the prince, he may sit in it to eat
bread before the Lord; he shall enter by way of the vestibule of the
gateway, and go out the same way.
4 Also He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the
temple; so I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the
house of the Lord; and I fell on my face.
Scripture Reading 2 of 6


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Proverbs 9:1-11  (Vespers, 3rd Reading)
1 Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars;
2 She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also
furnished her table.
3 She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places
of the city,
4 Whoever is simple, let him turn in here! As for him who lacks
understanding, she says to him,
5 Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.
7 He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes
a wicked man only harms himself.
8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a
just man, and he will increase in learning.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge
of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be
added to you.
Scripture Reading 3 of 6


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Luke 1:39-49, 56  (Matins Gospel)
39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with
haste, to a city of Judah,
40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that
the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy
Spirit.
42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you
among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should
come to me?
44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my
ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of
those things which were told her from the Lord.
46 And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold,
henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His
name.
56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her
house.
Scripture Reading 4 of 6


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Hebrews 9:1-7  (Epistle, Theotokos)
1 Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine
service and the earthly sanctuary.
2 For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the
lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the
sanctuary;
3 and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is
called the Holiest of All,
4 which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on
all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna,
Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;
5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy
seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
6 Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always
went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services.
7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not
without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins
committed in ignorance;
Scripture Reading 5 of 6


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Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28  (Gospel, Theotokos)
38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and
a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and
heard His word.
40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him
and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve
alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are
worried and troubled about many things.
42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which
will not be taken away from her.
27 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman
from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb
that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!"
28 But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word
of God and keep it!"
Scripture Reading 6 of 6



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------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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The Protection of our Most Holy Lady the Mother of God and
Ever-Virgin Mary
The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos: "Today the Virgin stands in
the midst of the Church, and with choirs of Saints she invisibly prays
to God for us. Angels and Bishops venerate Her, Apostles and prophets
rejoice together, Since for our sake she prays to the Eternal God!"
This miraculous appearance of the Mother of God occurred in the
mid-tenth century in Constantinople, in the Blachernae church where
her robe, veil, and part of her belt were preserved after being
transferred from Palestine in the fifth century.
On Sunday, October 1, during the All Night Vigil, when the church was
overflowing with those at prayer, the Fool-for-Christ St Andrew
(October 2), at the fourth hour, lifted up his eyes towards the
heavens and beheld our most Holy Lady Theotokos coming through the
air, resplendent with heavenly light and surrounded by an assembly of
the Saints. St John the Baptist and the holy Apostle John the
Theologian accompanied the Queen of Heaven. On bended knees the Most
Holy Virgin tearfully prayed for Christians for a long time. Then,
coming near the Bishop's Throne, she continued her prayer.
After completing her prayer she took her veil and spread it over the
people praying in church, protecting them from enemies both visible
and invisible. The Most Holy Lady Theotokos was resplendent with
heavenly glory, and the protecting veil in her hands gleamed "more
than the rays of the sun." St Andrew gazed trembling at the miraculous
vision and he asked his disciple, the blessed Epiphanius standing
beside him, "Do you see, brother, the Holy Theotokos, praying for all
the world?" Epiphanius answered, "I do see, holy Father, and I am in
awe."
The Ever-Blessed Mother of God implored the Lord Jesus Christ to
accept the prayers of all the people calling on His Most Holy Name,
and to respond speedily to her intercession, "O Heavenly King, accept
all those who pray to You and call on my name for help. Do not let
them not go away from my icon unheard."
Sts Andrew and Epiphanius were worthy to see the Mother of God at
prayer, and "for a long time observed the Protecting Veil spread over
the people and shining with flashes of glory. As long as the Most Holy
Theotokos was there, the Protecting Veil was also visible, but with
her departure it also became invisible. After taking it with her, she
left behind the grace of her visitation."
At the Blachernae church, the memory of the miraculous appearance of
the Mother of God was remembered. In the fourteenth century, the
Russian pilgrim and clerk Alexander, saw in the church an icon of the
Most Holy Theotokos praying for the world, depicting St Andrew in
contemplation of her.
The Primary Chronicle of St Nestor reflects that the protective
intercession of the Mother of God was needed because an attack of a
large pagan Russian fleet under the leadership of Askole and Dir. The
feast celebrates the divine destruction of the fleet which threatened
Constantinople itself, sometime in the years 864-867 or according to
the Russian historian Vasiliev, on June 18, 860. Ironically, this
Feast is considered important by the Slavic Churches but not by the
Greeks.
The Primary Chronicle of St Nestor also notes the miraculous
deliverance followed an all-night Vigil and the dipping of the garment
of the Mother of God into the waters of the sea at the Blachernae
church, but does not mention Sts Andrew and Epiphanius and their
vision of the Mother of God at prayer. These latter elements, and the
beginnings of the celebrating of the Feast of the Protection, seem to
postdate St Nestor and the Chronicle. A further historical
complication might be noted under (October 2) dating St Andrew's death
to the year 936.
The year of death might not be quite reliable, or the assertion that
he survived to a ripe old age after the vision of his youth, or that
his vision involved some later pagan Russian raid which met with the
same fate. The suggestion that St Andrew was a Slav (or a Scythian
according to other sources, such as S. V. Bulgakov) is interesting,
but not necessarily accurate. The extent of Slavic expansion and
repopulation into Greece is the topic of scholarly disputes.
In the PROLOGUE, a Russian book of the twelfth century, a description
of the establishment of the special Feast marking this event states,
"For when we heard, we realized how wondrous and merciful was the
vision... and it transpired that Your holy Protection should not
remain without festal celebration, O Ever-Blessed One!"
Therefore, in the festal celebration of the Protection of the Mother
of God, the Russian Church sings, "With the choirs of the Angels, O
Sovereign Lady, with the venerable and glorious prophets, with the
First-Ranked Apostles and with the Hieromartyrs and Hierarchs, pray
for us sinners, glorifying the Feast of your Protection in the Russian
Land." Moreover, it would seem that St Andrew, contemplating the
miraculous vision was a Slav, was taken captive, and became the slave
of the local inhabitant of Constantinople named Theognostus.
Churches in honor of the Protection of the Mother of God began to
appear in Russia in the twelfth century. Widely known for its
architectural merit is the temple of the Protection at Nerl, which was
built in the year 1165 by holy Prince Andrew Bogoliubsky. The efforts
of this holy prince also established in the Russian Church the Feast
of the Protection of the Mother of God, about the year 1164.
At Novgorod in the twelfth century there was a monastery of the
Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos (the so-called Zverin monastery)
In Moscow also under Tsar Ivan the Terrible the cathedral of the
Protection of the Mother of God was built at the church of the Holy
Trinity (known as the church of St Basil the Blessed).
On the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos we implore
the defense and assistance of the Queen of Heaven, "Remember us in
your prayers, O Lady Virgin Mother of God, that we not perish by the
increase of our sins. Protect us from every evil and from grievous
woes, for in you do we hope, and venerating the Feast of your
Protection, we magnify you."
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Apostle Ananias of the Seventy
The Holy Apostle Ananias of the Seventy (October 1), was the first
Bishop of Damascus. The Lord ordered him to restore the sight of Saul,
the former persecutor of Christians, then baptize him (Acts 9:10-19,
22:12). Saul became the great preacher and Apostle Paul. St Ananias
boldly and openly confessed Christianity before the Jews and the
pagans, despite the danger.
>From Damascus he went to preach at Eleutheropolis, where he healed
many of their infirmities. Lucian, the prefect of the city, tried to
persuade the holy one to offer sacrifice to idols. Because of Ananias'
staunch and solid confession of Christ, Lucian ordered that he be
tortured. Harsh torments did not sway the witness of Truth. Then the
torturers led him out beyond the city, where they stoned him. The
saint prayed for those who put him to death. His relics were later
transferred to Constantinople.
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Venerable Romanus the Melodist, "Sweet-Singer"
Saint Romanus the Melodist was born in the fifth century in the Syrian
city of Emesa of Jewish parents. After moving to Constantinople, he
became a church sacristan in the temple of Hagia Sophia. The monk
spent his nights alone at prayer in a field or in the Blachernae
church beyond the city.
St Romanus was not a talented reader or singer. Once, on the eve of
the Nativity of Christ, he read the kathisma verses. He read so poorly
that another reader had to take his place. The clergy ridiculed
Romanus, which devastated him.
On the day of the Nativity, the Mother of God appeared to the
grief-stricken youth in a vision while he was praying before her
Kyriotissa icon. She gave him a scroll and commanded him to eat it.
Thus was he given the gift of understanding, composition, and
hymnography.
That evening at the all-night Vigil St Romanus sang, in a wondrous
voice, his first Kontakion: "Today the Virgin gives birth to the
Transcendent One..." All the hymns of St Romanus became known as
kontakia, in reference to the Virgin's scroll. St Romanus was also the
first to write in the form of the Oikos, which he incorporated into
the all-night Vigil at his places of residence (In Greek, "oikos").
For his zealous service St Romanus was ordained as a deacon and became
a teacher of song. Until his death, which occurred about the year 556,
the hierodeacon Romanus the Melodist composed nearly a thousand hymns,
many of which are still used by Christians to glorify the Lord. About
eighty survive.
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Venerable Sava the Abbot of Vishera, Novgorod
Saint Sava of Vishera was the son of the noble, John Borozda, of
Kashin. From childhood, the monk was noted for his piety. He initially
lived the ascetic life at the Tver Savvino wilderness monastery, where
the brethren chose him to be the abbot.
Shunning honors, St Sava went to Mt. Athos, where he worked on copying
service books. Upon his return from Athos, he selected a solitary
place seven versts from Novgorod on the banks of the River Vishera for
his ascetic efforts.
Here, with the blessing of Archbishop Simon of Novogorod, the monk
organized a small monastery in honor of the Ascension of the Lord in
1418. St Sava set up a pillar nearby the monastery and lived as a
stylite. He died in 1461 at the age of 80. He appointed as his
successor his disciple Andrew, who was known for his strict and
ascetic life.
The local commemoration was established under Archbishop Jonah of
Novgorod (+ 1470), in connection with the healing of the igumen of the
Sava-Vishera monastery. Archbishop Jonah ordered an icon of the monk
be painted and a Canon composed. The general church glorification of
St Sava took place at the Moscow Council of 1549. The service to him
was composed by Hieromonk Pachomius of Serbia.
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Martyr Domninus of Thessalonica
No information available at this time.
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Martyr Michael the Abbot in Armenia
No information available at this time.
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36 Martyred Fathers with Michael the Abbot in Armenia
No information available at this time.
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Commemoration of the apparition of the Pillar with the Robe
of the Lord under it at Mtskheta in Georgia
During the reign of King Aderki of Kartli, the Jewish diaspora in
Mtskheta learned that a wondrous Child had been born in Jerusalem.
Then, thirty years later, a man came from Jerusalem to deliver this
message: The youth has grown up. He calls Himself the Son of God and
preaches to us the New Covenant. We have sent envoys to every Jewish
diaspora to urge the scholars of the religion to come to Jerusalem and
judge what measures should be taken in regard to this matter.
In response to the envoys request and at the recommendation of the
Jewish Sanhedrin, Elioz of Mtskheta and Longinoz of Karsani were
chosen to journey to Jerusalem. Elioz of Mtskheta was born to a pious
family, and as his mother prepared him for the journey, she tearfully
begged him not to take any part in the spilling of the blood of the
Messiah.
When the Roman soldiers were nailing our Savior to the Cross on
Golgotha, Eliozs mother miraculously heard each strike of the hammer.
She cried out in fear, Farewell majesty of the Jews! For inasmuch as
you have killed your Savior and Redeemer, henceforth you have become
your own enemies! With this she breathed her last.
After the soldiers had cast lots for the Robe of our Lord, it was
acquired by Elioz and Longinoz, and with great honor they carried it
back with them to Mtskheta. Upon their arrival, Elioz met his sister
Sidonia, who took from him the Sacred Robe. With much grief she
listened to the story of our Saviors Crucifixion, clutched the Robe to
her breast, and immediately gave up her spirit.
Many miracles were worked by the Robe, and news of this flashed like
lightning throughout Mtskheta. King Aderki had a great desire to
possess the Robe but, frightened by the miracles, he did not attempt
to free it from Sidonias embrace. Elioz was obliged to bury his sister
and the Precious Robe together. A cypress tree grew up on Sidonias
grave. When the disciples of Christ cast lots after Pentecost, the lot
for evangelizing Georgia fell to the Most Holy Theotokos. But Christ
revealed to His Mother that it was not His will for her to preach
there. You have been entrusted to protect the Georgian nation, He
said, but the role of evangelizing that land belongs to My disciple
Andrew the First-called. Send him with an image of your face
Not-Made-By- Hands to protect the Georgian people to the end of the
ages!
According to the will of God and the blessing of the Theotokos, St.
Andrew the First-called set off for Georgia to preach the Christian
Faith. He entered Georgia from the southwest, in the region of
Atchara, and subsequently preached in every region of the nation. He
established a hierarchy for the Georgian Church and then returned to
Jerusalem for Pascha. When he visited Georgia for the second time, the
Apostle Andrew was accompanied by the Apostles Matthias and Simon the
Canaanite.
Years passed and, under threat from Persian fire-worshippers and other
pagan communities, the memory of Christ faded from the minds of the
Georgian people.
Then, at the beginning of the 4th century, according to Gods will and
the blessing of the Most Holy Theotokos, the holy virgin Nino arrived
in Kartli to preach the Christian Faith. She settled in the outskirts
of Mtskheta, in the bramble bushes of the kings garden. St. Nino
inquired as to the whereabouts of our Lords Robe, but no one could
remember where it had been preserved. In her quest for the Precious
Robe, she became acquainted with Eliozs descendants, the Jewish priest
Abiatar and his daughter, Sidonia. St. Nino converted them to
Christianity.
St. Nino was blessed by God with the gift of healing. She healed the
afflicted through the name of our crucified Savior and through the
grace of the cross formed from grapevines by the Theotokos and bound
with strands of St. Ninos hair.
At that time King Mirian ruled Kartli. Following in the footsteps of
his ancestors, he worshiped the idol Armazi, but in the depth of his
heart he was drawn to the Faith that the holy virgin was preaching.
Mirians wife, Queen Nana, was the daughter of a famous military leader
of Pontus. Thus, the king had received some prior knowledge of the
Faith of the Greeks.
Once Queen Nana fell deeply ill, and only through the prayers of St.
Nino was she spared from death. After this miraculous healing, King
Mirian became intrigued by the Faith that St. Nino was preaching, and
he began asking the newly enlightened Abiatar about the Holy
Scriptures.
Once, while he was hunting on Mt. Tkhoti near Mtskheta, King Mirian
was suddenly gripped by an evil spirit, and he burned with a desire to
destroy the Christian people of his land andabove all others the
virgin Nino. But suddenly the sun was eclipsed, and the king was
surrounded by darkness. The frightened Mirian prayed to the pagan gods
to save him from this terror, but his prayers went unanswered. Then,
in utter despair, he began to pray to the Crucified God-man and a
miracle occurred: the darkness scattered and the sun shone as before.
Raising his hands to the east, Mirian cried out, Truly Thou art the
God preached by Nino, God of gods and King of kings!
Having returned to the capital, King Mirian went immediately to the
bramble bushes where St. Nino dwelt. He greeted her with great honor
and spent several hours seeking her counsel. Upon her recommendation,
he sent messengers to Emperor Constantine in Byzantium, requesting
that he send priests to baptize the people of Kartli and architects to
build churches.
This happened on June 24 of the year 324, which was a Saturday. King
Mirian began to construct a church so that the priests arriving from
Constantinople would have a place to serve. Seven columns to support
the church were formed from the wood of a cypress tree that had grown
in the kings garden. Six of the columns were erected without a
problem, but the seventh could not be moved from the place where it
had been carved. St. Nino and her disciples prayed through the night,
and at dawn they watched as a youth, encompassed by a brilliant light,
descended from the heavens and raised the column. The miraculous
column began to shine and stopped in mid-air at a height of twelve
cubits.
Sweet-smelling myrrh began to flow from under the Holy Pillars
foundations, and the entire population of Mtskheta flocked to that
place to receive its blessing. Approaching the Life-giving Pillar, the
sick were healed, the blind received sight, and the paralyzed began to
walk.
By that time a certain Bishop John and his suite had arrived from
Constantinople. St. Constantine the Great sent a cross, an icon of the
Savior, a fragment from the Life-giving Cross of our Lord (from the
place where His feet lay), and a nail from His Crucifixion as gifts to
the newly enlightened King Mirian and his people.
At the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi Rivers in Mtskheta, the
king and queen, the royal court, and all the people of Kartli were
baptized into the Christian Faith. After the glorious baptism, Bishop
John and his retinue from Constantinople set off toward southern
Georgia, for the village of Erusheti. There they built churches and
presented the Christian community with the nail from our Lords
Crucifixion. Soon after, they began to construct Manglisi Church and
placed the fragment from the Life-giving Cross inside.
King Mirian wanted to keep some of the newly obtained sacred objects
in the capital city, but St.Nino informed him that one of the holiest
objects, the Robe of our Savior, was already located in Mtskheta. The
king summoned the priest Abiatar and inquired about the Robe, then
rejoiced greatly after Abiatar confirmed St. Ninos words that the Robe
of the Lord was held in the embrace of Sidonia, who was buried under
the stump of the cypress tree which now served as the pedestal for the
Life-giving Pillar.
At that time a lush, sweet-smelling, wonder-working tree grew up on a
mountain over Mtskheta and, at Bishop Johns suggestion, Prince Revi,
the son of King Mirian, ordered that the tree be chopped down and a
cross formed from its wood. The tree was chopped down and replanted,
without its roots, next to a church that was under construction. For
thirty-seven days the tree retained its original appearanceeven its
leaves did not fade or wither. Then, after thirty-seven days had
passed, three crosses were formed from its wood.
For many days after this miracle the people of Mtskheta saw a vision:
during the night a fiery cross shone above the church, surrounded by
stars. When morning came, two of the stars had moved away from the
cross in opposite directionsone to the west and the other to the east.
The fiery cross headed to the north, stopped for some time over the
hill on the other side of the River Aragvi, then disappeared.
St. Nino advised King Mirian to erect one of the three crosses in the
west, on Tkhoti Mountain, and another in the east, in the village of
Ujarma. But it was unclear where the third cross should be erected, so
King Mirian prayerfully beseeched the Lord to reveal to him the place.
The Lord heard his prayers and sent an angel to show him the place: a
rocky hill to the north of the capital, at the confluence of the
Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers. Today this hill is called Jvari (Cross) and
upon it towers the magnificent church of Jvari Monastery. At the
moment the cross was erected on this hill, all the idols in Mtskheta
fell and shattered to pieces.
Prior to his death King Mirian blessed his heir, Prince Bakar, and
urged him to dedicate his life to the Holy Trinity and fight
ceaselessly against idolaters. Then he peacefully reposed in the Lord.
According to his will, Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles King Mirian was
buried in the upper church at Samtavro, where today a convent in honor
of St. Nino is located. The king was too modest to be buried in the
lower church, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, in which the Life-giving
Pillar had been preserved.
Queen Nana reposed two years later and was buried next to her husband.
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Venerable John (Koukouzelis) the Hymnographer of Mt. Athos,
Albania
Saint John Koukouzelis, a native of Dirrachia (Bulgaria), was orphaned
in childhood. Endowed with a very fine voice, he entered the
Constantinople court school. He found favor with the emperor John
Comnenos (1118-1143) and became a chief court singer. The
sumptuousness and luxury of the imperial court bothered the pious
youth. Once, when asked what he had eaten for dinner, he replied,
"Beans and peas." The name Koukouzelis (beans and peas) stuck with him
ever after.
John began to seek ways to escape the enticements of the court, as
well as a marriage arranged for him by the emperor. By the will of
God, John met an igumen from Mt. Athos who had come to Constantinople
on monastery business. John revealed to the Elder his desire to leave
the court. The Elder blessed John to come to the Holy Mountain. There
John was accepted and tonsured a monk.
He was given the obedience of tending the monastery's flock of goats.
He took the flock to remote areas of the Holy Mountain to graze. There
in the wilderness the youth was able to to pray, contemplate God, and
sing the divine hymns in solitude. Charmed by the angelic beauty of
his voice, the animals gathered around him and listened as though
entranced.
Out of modesty and humility the singer did not reveal his gift to the
brethren. But once, a wilderness dweller overheard his moving pastoral
song and informed the igumen. St John then revealed to the igumen that
he had been a court singer. He tearfully implored him to remain in the
wilderness with his flock.
The igumen was afraid that the emperor would find out that his
favorite court singer was on the Holy Mountain and force him to return
to court. Wishing to avoid the emperor's displeasure the igumen
journeyed to Constantinople to explain what had become of John and
begged him not to hinder the young man from his salvific path.
Thereafter John Koukouzelis sang on the right cleros in the cathedral
on Sundays and feastdays. Once, after singing an Akathist before an
icon of the Mother of God, John was granted a great mercy. The Mother
of God appeared to him in a dream and said, "Rejoice, John, and do not
cease to sing. For that, I shall not forsake you." With these works
she placed into John's hand a golden coin, then became invisible. This
coin was placed beneath the icon. Many miracles have been credited to
the coin and the icon. The icon, named the "Koukouzelissa" in memory
of St John is located in the Lavra monastery of St Athanasius. It is
commemorated on October 1, and on the 10th Friday after Pascha.
The Mother of God appeared to St John again and healed him of a
grievous affliction of his legs, caused by the long standing in
church. St John's remaining days were spent in intense ascetic
efforts. He also worked hard on the discipline of church singing,
gaining the title of both master teacher and regent (overseer).
He arranged and compiled melodies for church stichera verses, troparia
and kontakia. He edited texts of hymns and wrote his own troparia.
Some of his compositions are also in the following manuscripts: "A
Book, by the Will of God Encompassing All the Order of Progression of
Church Services, Compiled by Master Teacher John Koukouzelis,"
"Progression of Services, Compiled by Master Teacher John
Koukouzelis,""From the Beginning of Great Vespers through to the
Completion of the Divine Liturgy," and "The Science of Song and
Singing Signs with all the Legitimate Hand-Placement and with all the
Arrangements of Song."
Foreseeing the hour of his death, St John took his leave of the
brethren, and in his last wishes bade them to bury him in the Church
of the Archangel that he built. Church singers reverence St John
Koukouzelis as their own special patron saint.
_________________________________________________________________
Venerable Gregory Domesticus of the Great Lavra of Mt Athos
Saint Gregory Domesticus (leading chanter) was the contemporary of St
John Koukouzelis, and lived in the Great Lavra of Mt. Athos in piety
and asceticism. Like St John, he also sang in the right choir in the
Great Lavra, and was even called Gregory Koukouzelis in honor of his
instructor. St Gregory was known for his technical skill and for the
sweetness of his voice. He chanted the Vigil service with great
reverence and compunction, never sitting down in church.
Patriarch Callistus I (June 20) had started the practice of singing
"All of creation rejoices" at the Liturgy of St Basil in place of "It
is truly meet." Patriarch Philotheus (October 8), who succeeded him,
restored "It is truly meet" to St Basil's Liturgy. Soon after this St
Gregory sang "All of creation rejoices" at Liturgy on the eve of
Theophany in the presence of Patriarch Gregory of Alexandria. The Most
Holy Theotokos appeared to St Gregory and thanked him for singing the
hymn in her honor. She also handed him a gold coin. From that time
forward, "All of creation" has been sung at the Liturgy of St Basil.
St Gregory fell asleep in the Lord in 1355.
_________________________________________________________________
Icon of the Mother of God of Pskov "the Protection"
The Feast of the Pskov-Protection Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was
established in memory of the miraculous deliverance of Pskov from the
invading troops of the Polish king Stephen Bathory in 1581. During the
siege, they carried forth the wonderworking Dormition Icon of the
Mother of God in procession from the monastery.
On the eve of the decisive fighting, the pious blind Elder Dorotheus
the Smith had a vision of the Most Holy Theotokos at the spot where
the enemy had prepared to attack, at a corner of the fortress of the
monastery in honor of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos.
The Most Holy Virgin appeared to the Elder Dorotheus with various
Russian Saints: the holy Great Prince Vladimir and the Pskov Princes
Vsevolod-Gabriel and Dovmont-Timothy, St Anthony of Kiev Caves,
Cornelius of Pskov, Euphrosynus of Spaso-Elazar and Sava of Krypetsk,
Blessed Nicholas of Pskov and St Niphon, Archbishop of Novgorod, the
organizer of the Pskov Spaso-Mirozh monastery.
Proceeding from the Pechor side from the Spaso-Mirozhsk monastery
across the River Velika, the Mother of God with the Saints entered the
church of the Protection monastery. The Saints besought the All-Pure
Virgin to have pity on the sinful citizens of Pskov and save the city
"from the imposition of woes." The Most Holy Theotokos, having
promised the city Her mercy, gave orders to set up the Pechersk icon
at the place of Her appearance.
During the battle the Polish tried to breach the fortress wall, but
through the intercession of the Mother of God and the Saints, they
were not able to break through into the city. After their deliverance
from the enemy, the grateful people of Pskov built a church in honor
of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.
For the temple of the Protection Most Holy Theotokos, the
Pskov-Pechersk icon of the Mother of God was painted, which has also
been given the name, "Appearance of the Mother of God to the Elder
Dorotheus." The appearance of the Most Holy Theotokos occurred on
September 7, and celebration of the Pskov-Pechersk Icon was
established on October 1. A special service was compiled for the Feast
of the Most Holy Theotokos.
_________________________________________________________________
St Sidonia of Georgia
During the reign of King Aderki of Kartli, the Jewish diaspora in
Mtskheta learned that a wondrous Child had been born in Jerusalem.
Then, thirty years later, a man came from Jerusalem to deliver this
message: The youth has grown up. He calls Himself the Son of God and
preaches to us the New Covenant. We have sent envoys to every Jewish
diaspora to urge the scholars of the religion to come to Jerusalem and
judge what measures should be taken in regard to this matter.
In response to the envoys request and at the recommendation of the
Jewish Sanhedrin, Elioz of Mtskheta and Longinoz of Karsani were
chosen to journey to Jerusalem. Elioz of Mtskheta was born to a pious
family, and as his mother prepared him for the journey, she tearfully
begged him not to take any part in the spilling of the blood of the
Messiah.
When the Roman soldiers were nailing our Savior to the Cross on
Golgotha, Eliozs mother miraculously heard each strike of the hammer.
She cried out in fear, Farewell majesty of the Jews! For inasmuch as
you have killed your Savior and Redeemer, henceforth you have become
your own enemies! With this she breathed her last.
After the soldiers had cast lots for the Robe of our Lord, it was
acquired by Elioz and Longinoz, and with great honor they carried it
back with them to Mtskheta. Upon their arrival, Elioz met his sister
Sidonia, who took from him the Sacred Robe. With much grief she
listened to the story of our Saviors Crucifixion, clutched the Robe to
her breast, and immediately gave up her spirit.
Many miracles were worked by the Robe, and news of this flashed like
lightning throughout Mtskheta. King Aderki had a great desire to
possess the Robe but, frightened by the miracles, he did not attempt
to free it from Sidonias embrace. Elioz was obliged to bury his sister
and the Precious Robe together. A cypress tree grew up on Sidonias
grave. When the disciples of Christ cast lots after Pentecost, the lot
for evangelizing Georgia fell to the Most Holy Theotokos. But Christ
revealed to His Mother that it was not His will for her to preach
there. You have been entrusted to protect the Georgian nation, He
said, but the role of evangelizing that land belongs to My disciple
Andrew the First-called. Send him with an image of your face
Not-Made-By- Hands to protect the Georgian people to the end of the
ages!
According to the will of God and the blessing of the Theotokos, St.
Andrew the First-called set off for Georgia to preach the Christian
Faith. He entered Georgia from the southwest, in the region of
Atchara, and subsequently preached in every region of the nation. He
established a hierarchy for the Georgian Church and then returned to
Jerusalem for Pascha. When he visited Georgia for the second time, the
Apostle Andrew was accompanied by the Apostles Matthias and Simon the
Canaanite.
Years passed and, under threat from Persian fire-worshippers and other
pagan communities, the memory of Christ faded from the minds of the
Georgian people.
Then, at the beginning of the 4th century, according to Gods will and
the blessing of the Most Holy Theotokos, the holy virgin Nino arrived
in Kartli to preach the Christian Faith. She settled in the outskirts
of Mtskheta, in the bramble bushes of the kings garden. St. Nino
inquired as to the whereabouts of our Lords Robe, but no one could
remember where it had been preserved. In her quest for the Precious
Robe, she became acquainted with Eliozs descendants, the Jewish priest
Abiatar and his daughter, Sidonia. St. Nino converted them to
Christianity.
St. Nino was blessed by God with the gift of healing. She healed the
afflicted through the name of our crucified Savior and through the
grace of the cross formed from grapevines by the Theotokos and bound
with strands of St. Ninos hair.
At that time King Mirian ruled Kartli. Following in the footsteps of
his ancestors, he worshiped the idol Armazi, but in the depth of his
heart he was drawn to the Faith that the holy virgin was preaching.
Mirians wife, Queen Nana, was the daughter of a famous military leader
of Pontus. Thus, the king had received some prior knowledge of the
Faith of the Greeks.
Once Queen Nana fell deeply ill, and only through the prayers of St.
Nino was she spared from death. After this miraculous healing, King
Mirian became intrigued by the Faith that St. Nino was preaching, and
he began asking the newly enlightened Abiatar about the Holy
Scriptures.
Once, while he was hunting on Mt. Tkhoti near Mtskheta, King Mirian
was suddenly gripped by an evil spirit, and he burned with a desire to
destroy the Christian people of his land andabove all others the
virgin Nino. But suddenly the sun was eclipsed, and the king was
surrounded by darkness. The frightened Mirian prayed to the pagan gods
to save him from this terror, but his prayers went unanswered. Then,
in utter despair, he began to pray to the Crucified God-man and a
miracle occurred: the darkness scattered and the sun shone as before.
Raising his hands to the east, Mirian cried out, Truly Thou art the
God preached by Nino, God of gods and King of kings!
Having returned to the capital, King Mirian went immediately to the
bramble bushes where St. Nino dwelt. He greeted her with great honor
and spent several hours seeking her counsel. Upon her recommendation,
he sent messengers to Emperor Constantine in Byzantium, requesting
that he send priests to baptize the people of Kartli and architects to
build churches.
This happened on June 24 of the year 324, which was a Saturday. King
Mirian began to construct a church so that the priests arriving from
Constantinople would have a place to serve. Seven columns to support
the church were formed from the wood of a cypress tree that had grown
in the kings garden. Six of the columns were erected without a
problem, but the seventh could not be moved from the place where it
had been carved. St. Nino and her disciples prayed through the night,
and at dawn they watched as a youth, encompassed by a brilliant light,
descended from the heavens and raised the column. The miraculous
column began to shine and stopped in mid-air at a height of twelve
cubits.
Sweet-smelling myrrh began to flow from under the Holy Pillars
foundations, and the entire population of Mtskheta flocked to that
place to receive its blessing. Approaching the Life-giving Pillar, the
sick were healed, the blind received sight, and the paralyzed began to
walk.
By that time a certain Bishop John and his suite had arrived from
Constantinople. St. Constantine the Great sent a cross, an icon of the
Savior, a fragment from the Life-giving Cross of our Lord (from the
place where His feet lay), and a nail from His Crucifixion as gifts to
the newly enlightened King Mirian and his people.
At the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi Rivers in Mtskheta, the
king and queen, the royal court, and all the people of Kartli were
baptized into the Christian Faith. After the glorious baptism, Bishop
John and his retinue from Constantinople set off toward southern
Georgia, for the village of Erusheti. There they built churches and
presented the Christian community with the nail from our Lords
Crucifixion. Soon after, they began to construct Manglisi Church and
placed the fragment from the Life-giving Cross inside.
King Mirian wanted to keep some of the newly obtained sacred objects
in the capital city, but St.Nino informed him that one of the holiest
objects, the Robe of our Savior, was already located in Mtskheta. The
king summoned the priest Abiatar and inquired about the Robe, then
rejoiced greatly after Abiatar confirmed St. Ninos words that the Robe
of the Lord was held in the embrace of Sidonia, who was buried under
the stump of the cypress tree which now served as the pedestal for the
Life-giving Pillar.
At that time a lush, sweet-smelling, wonder-working tree grew up on a
mountain over Mtskheta and, at Bishop Johns suggestion, Prince Revi,
the son of King Mirian, ordered that the tree be chopped down and a
cross formed from its wood. The tree was chopped down and replanted,
without its roots, next to a church that was under construction. For
thirty-seven days the tree retained its original appearanceeven its
leaves did not fade or wither. Then, after thirty-seven days had
passed, three crosses were formed from its wood.
For many days after this miracle the people of Mtskheta saw a vision:
during the night a fiery cross shone above the church, surrounded by
stars. When morning came, two of the stars had moved away from the
cross in opposite directionsone to the west and the other to the east.
The fiery cross headed to the north, stopped for some time over the
hill on the other side of the River Aragvi, then disappeared.
St. Nino advised King Mirian to erect one of the three crosses in the
west, on Tkhoti Mountain, and another in the east, in the village of
Ujarma. But it was unclear where the third cross should be erected, so
King Mirian prayerfully beseeched the Lord to reveal to him the place.
The Lord heard his prayers and sent an angel to show him the place: a
rocky hill to the north of the capital, at the confluence of the
Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers. Today this hill is called Jvari (Cross) and
upon it towers the magnificent church of Jvari Monastery. At the
moment the cross was erected on this hill, all the idols in Mtskheta
fell and shattered to pieces.
Prior to his death King Mirian blessed his heir, Prince Bakar, and
urged him to dedicate his life to the Holy Trinity and fight
ceaselessly against idolaters. Then he peacefully reposed in the Lord.
According to his will, Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles King Mirian was
buried in the upper church at Samtavro, where today a convent in honor
of St. Nino is located. The king was too modest to be buried in the
lower church, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, in which the Life-giving
Pillar had been preserved.
Queen Nana reposed two years later and was buried next to her husband.
_________________________________________________________________
Equal of the Apostles, Emperor of Georgia, Mirian
During the reign of King Aderki of Kartli, the Jewish diaspora in
Mtskheta learned that a wondrous Child had been born in Jerusalem.
Then, thirty years later, a man came from Jerusalem to deliver this
message: The youth has grown up. He calls Himself the Son of God and
preaches to us the New Covenant. We have sent envoys to every Jewish
diaspora to urge the scholars of the religion to come to Jerusalem and
judge what measures should be taken in regard to this matter.
In response to the envoys request and at the recommendation of the
Jewish Sanhedrin, Elioz of Mtskheta and Longinoz of Karsani were
chosen to journey to Jerusalem. Elioz of Mtskheta was born to a pious
family, and as his mother prepared him for the journey, she tearfully
begged him not to take any part in the spilling of the blood of the
Messiah.
When the Roman soldiers were nailing our Savior to the Cross on
Golgotha, Eliozs mother miraculously heard each strike of the hammer.
She cried out in fear, Farewell majesty of the Jews! For inasmuch as
you have killed your Savior and Redeemer, henceforth you have become
your own enemies! With this she breathed her last.
After the soldiers had cast lots for the Robe of our Lord, it was
acquired by Elioz and Longinoz, and with great honor they carried it
back with them to Mtskheta. Upon their arrival, Elioz met his sister
Sidonia, who took from him the Sacred Robe. With much grief she
listened to the story of our Saviors Crucifixion, clutched the Robe to
her breast, and immediately gave up her spirit.
Many miracles were worked by the Robe, and news of this flashed like
lightning throughout Mtskheta. King Aderki had a great desire to
possess the Robe but, frightened by the miracles, he did not attempt
to free it from Sidonias embrace. Elioz was obliged to bury his sister
and the Precious Robe together. A cypress tree grew up on Sidonias
grave. When the disciples of Christ cast lots after Pentecost, the lot
for evangelizing Georgia fell to the Most Holy Theotokos. But Christ
revealed to His Mother that it was not His will for her to preach
there. You have been entrusted to protect the Georgian nation, He
said, but the role of evangelizing that land belongs to My disciple
Andrew the First-called. Send him with an image of your face
Not-Made-By- Hands to protect the Georgian people to the end of the
ages!
According to the will of God and the blessing of the Theotokos, St.
Andrew the First-called set off for Georgia to preach the Christian
Faith. He entered Georgia from the southwest, in the region of
Atchara, and subsequently preached in every region of the nation. He
established a hierarchy for the Georgian Church and then returned to
Jerusalem for Pascha. When he visited Georgia for the second time, the
Apostle Andrew was accompanied by the Apostles Matthias and Simon the
Canaanite.
Years passed and, under threat from Persian fire-worshippers and other
pagan communities, the memory of Christ faded from the minds of the
Georgian people.
Then, at the beginning of the 4th century, according to Gods will and
the blessing of the Most Holy Theotokos, the holy virgin Nino arrived
in Kartli to preach the Christian Faith. She settled in the outskirts
of Mtskheta, in the bramble bushes of the kings garden. St. Nino
inquired as to the whereabouts of our Lords Robe, but no one could
remember where it had been preserved. In her quest for the Precious
Robe, she became acquainted with Eliozs descendants, the Jewish priest
Abiatar and his daughter, Sidonia. St. Nino converted them to
Christianity.
St. Nino was blessed by God with the gift of healing. She healed the
afflicted through the name of our crucified Savior and through the
grace of the cross formed from grapevines by the Theotokos and bound
with strands of St. Ninos hair.
At that time King Mirian ruled Kartli. Following in the footsteps of
his ancestors, he worshiped the idol Armazi, but in the depth of his
heart he was drawn to the Faith that the holy virgin was preaching.
Mirians wife, Queen Nana, was the daughter of a famous military leader
of Pontus. Thus, the king had received some prior knowledge of the
Faith of the Greeks.
Once Queen Nana fell deeply ill, and only through the prayers of St.
Nino was she spared from death. After this miraculous healing, King
Mirian became intrigued by the Faith that St. Nino was preaching, and
he began asking the newly enlightened Abiatar about the Holy
Scriptures.
Once, while he was hunting on Mt. Tkhoti near Mtskheta, King Mirian
was suddenly gripped by an evil spirit, and he burned with a desire to
destroy the Christian people of his land andabove all others the
virgin Nino. But suddenly the sun was eclipsed, and the king was
surrounded by darkness. The frightened Mirian prayed to the pagan gods
to save him from this terror, but his prayers went unanswered. Then,
in utter despair, he began to pray to the Crucified God-man and a
miracle occurred: the darkness scattered and the sun shone as before.
Raising his hands to the east, Mirian cried out, Truly Thou art the
God preached by Nino, God of gods and King of kings!
Having returned to the capital, King Mirian went immediately to the
bramble bushes where St. Nino dwelt. He greeted her with great honor
and spent several hours seeking her counsel. Upon her recommendation,
he sent messengers to Emperor Constantine in Byzantium, requesting
that he send priests to baptize the people of Kartli and architects to
build churches.
This happened on June 24 of the year 324, which was a Saturday. King
Mirian began to construct a church so that the priests arriving from
Constantinople would have a place to serve. Seven columns to support
the church were formed from the wood of a cypress tree that had grown
in the kings garden. Six of the columns were erected without a
problem, but the seventh could not be moved from the place where it
had been carved. St. Nino and her disciples prayed through the night,
and at dawn they watched as a youth, encompassed by a brilliant light,
descended from the heavens and raised the column. The miraculous
column began to shine and stopped in mid-air at a height of twelve
cubits.
Sweet-smelling myrrh began to flow from under the Holy Pillars
foundations, and the entire population of Mtskheta flocked to that
place to receive its blessing. Approaching the Life-giving Pillar, the
sick were healed, the blind received sight, and the paralyzed began to
walk.
By that time a certain Bishop John and his suite had arrived from
Constantinople. St. Constantine the Great sent a cross, an icon of the
Savior, a fragment from the Life-giving Cross of our Lord (from the
place where His feet lay), and a nail from His Crucifixion as gifts to
the newly enlightened King Mirian and his people.
At the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi Rivers in Mtskheta, the
king and queen, the royal court, and all the people of Kartli were
baptized into the Christian Faith. After the glorious baptism, Bishop
John and his retinue from Constantinople set off toward southern
Georgia, for the village of Erusheti. There they built churches and
presented the Christian community with the nail from our Lords
Crucifixion. Soon after, they began to construct Manglisi Church and
placed the fragment from the Life-giving Cross inside.
King Mirian wanted to keep some of the newly obtained sacred objects
in the capital city, but St.Nino informed him that one of the holiest
objects, the Robe of our Savior, was already located in Mtskheta. The
king summoned the priest Abiatar and inquired about the Robe, then
rejoiced greatly after Abiatar confirmed St. Ninos words that the Robe
of the Lord was held in the embrace of Sidonia, who was buried under
the stump of the cypress tree which now served as the pedestal for the
Life-giving Pillar.
At that time a lush, sweet-smelling, wonder-working tree grew up on a
mountain over Mtskheta and, at Bishop Johns suggestion, Prince Revi,
the son of King Mirian, ordered that the tree be chopped down and a
cross formed from its wood. The tree was chopped down and replanted,
without its roots, next to a church that was under construction. For
thirty-seven days the tree retained its original appearanceeven its
leaves did not fade or wither. Then, after thirty-seven days had
passed, three crosses were formed from its wood.
For many days after this miracle the people of Mtskheta saw a vision:
during the night a fiery cross shone above the church, surrounded by
stars. When morning came, two of the stars had moved away from the
cross in opposite directionsone to the west and the other to the east.
The fiery cross headed to the north, stopped for some time over the
hill on the other side of the River Aragvi, then disappeared.
St. Nino advised King Mirian to erect one of the three crosses in the
west, on Tkhoti Mountain, and another in the east, in the village of
Ujarma. But it was unclear where the third cross should be erected, so
King Mirian prayerfully beseeched the Lord to reveal to him the place.
The Lord heard his prayers and sent an angel to show him the place: a
rocky hill to the north of the capital, at the confluence of the
Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers. Today this hill is called Jvari (Cross) and
upon it towers the magnificent church of Jvari Monastery. At the
moment the cross was erected on this hill, all the idols in Mtskheta
fell and shattered to pieces.
Prior to his death King Mirian blessed his heir, Prince Bakar, and
urged him to dedicate his life to the Holy Trinity and fight
ceaselessly against idolaters. Then he peacefully reposed in the Lord.
According to his will, Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles King Mirian was
buried in the upper church at Samtavro, where today a convent in honor
of St. Nino is located. The king was too modest to be buried in the
lower church, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, in which the Life-giving
Pillar had been preserved.
Queen Nana reposed two years later and was buried next to her husband.
_________________________________________________________________
Equal of the Apostles, Empress of Georgia, Nana
During the reign of King Aderki of Kartli, the Jewish diaspora in
Mtskheta learned that a wondrous Child had been born in Jerusalem.
Then, thirty years later, a man came from Jerusalem to deliver this
message: The youth has grown up. He calls Himself the Son of God and
preaches to us the New Covenant. We have sent envoys to every Jewish
diaspora to urge the scholars of the religion to come to Jerusalem and
judge what measures should be taken in regard to this matter.
In response to the envoys request and at the recommendation of the
Jewish Sanhedrin, Elioz of Mtskheta and Longinoz of Karsani were
chosen to journey to Jerusalem. Elioz of Mtskheta was born to a pious
family, and as his mother prepared him for the journey, she tearfully
begged him not to take any part in the spilling of the blood of the
Messiah.
When the Roman soldiers were nailing our Savior to the Cross on
Golgotha, Eliozs mother miraculously heard each strike of the hammer.
She cried out in fear, Farewell majesty of the Jews! For inasmuch as
you have killed your Savior and Redeemer, henceforth you have become
your own enemies! With this she breathed her last.
After the soldiers had cast lots for the Robe of our Lord, it was
acquired by Elioz and Longinoz, and with great honor they carried it
back with them to Mtskheta. Upon their arrival, Elioz met his sister
Sidonia, who took from him the Sacred Robe. With much grief she
listened to the story of our Saviors Crucifixion, clutched the Robe to
her breast, and immediately gave up her spirit.
Many miracles were worked by the Robe, and news of this flashed like
lightning throughout Mtskheta. King Aderki had a great desire to
possess the Robe but, frightened by the miracles, he did not attempt
to free it from Sidonias embrace. Elioz was obliged to bury his sister
and the Precious Robe together. A cypress tree grew up on Sidonias
grave. When the disciples of Christ cast lots after Pentecost, the lot
for evangelizing Georgia fell to the Most Holy Theotokos. But Christ
revealed to His Mother that it was not His will for her to preach
there. You have been entrusted to protect the Georgian nation, He
said, but the role of evangelizing that land belongs to My disciple
Andrew the First-called. Send him with an image of your face
Not-Made-By- Hands to protect the Georgian people to the end of the
ages!
According to the will of God and the blessing of the Theotokos, St.
Andrew the First-called set off for Georgia to preach the Christian
Faith. He entered Georgia from the southwest, in the region of
Atchara, and subsequently preached in every region of the nation. He
established a hierarchy for the Georgian Church and then returned to
Jerusalem for Pascha. When he visited Georgia for the second time, the
Apostle Andrew was accompanied by the Apostles Matthias and Simon the
Canaanite.
Years passed and, under threat from Persian fire-worshippers and other
pagan communities, the memory of Christ faded from the minds of the
Georgian people.
Then, at the beginning of the 4th century, according to Gods will and
the blessing of the Most Holy Theotokos, the holy virgin Nino arrived
in Kartli to preach the Christian Faith. She settled in the outskirts
of Mtskheta, in the bramble bushes of the kings garden. St. Nino
inquired as to the whereabouts of our Lords Robe, but no one could
remember where it had been preserved. In her quest for the Precious
Robe, she became acquainted with Eliozs descendants, the Jewish priest
Abiatar and his daughter, Sidonia. St. Nino converted them to
Christianity.
St. Nino was blessed by God with the gift of healing. She healed the
afflicted through the name of our crucified Savior and through the
grace of the cross formed from grapevines by the Theotokos and bound
with strands of St. Ninos hair.
At that time King Mirian ruled Kartli. Following in the footsteps of
his ancestors, he worshiped the idol Armazi, but in the depth of his
heart he was drawn to the Faith that the holy virgin was preaching.
Mirians wife, Queen Nana, was the daughter of a famous military leader
of Pontus. Thus, the king had received some prior knowledge of the
Faith of the Greeks.
Once Queen Nana fell deeply ill, and only through the prayers of St.
Nino was she spared from death. After this miraculous healing, King
Mirian became intrigued by the Faith that St. Nino was preaching, and
he began asking the newly enlightened Abiatar about the Holy
Scriptures.
Once, while he was hunting on Mt. Tkhoti near Mtskheta, King Mirian
was suddenly gripped by an evil spirit, and he burned with a desire to
destroy the Christian people of his land andabove all others the
virgin Nino. But suddenly the sun was eclipsed, and the king was
surrounded by darkness. The frightened Mirian prayed to the pagan gods
to save him from this terror, but his prayers went unanswered. Then,
in utter despair, he began to pray to the Crucified God-man and a
miracle occurred: the darkness scattered and the sun shone as before.
Raising his hands to the east, Mirian cried out, Truly Thou art the
God preached by Nino, God of gods and King of kings!
Having returned to the capital, King Mirian went immediately to the
bramble bushes where St. Nino dwelt. He greeted her with great honor
and spent several hours seeking her counsel. Upon her recommendation,
he sent messengers to Emperor Constantine in Byzantium, requesting
that he send priests to baptize the people of Kartli and architects to
build churches.
This happened on June 24 of the year 324, which was a Saturday. King
Mirian began to construct a church so that the priests arriving from
Constantinople would have a place to serve. Seven columns to support
the church were formed from the wood of a cypress tree that had grown
in the kings garden. Six of the columns were erected without a
problem, but the seventh could not be moved from the place where it
had been carved. St. Nino and her disciples prayed through the night,
and at dawn they watched as a youth, encompassed by a brilliant light,
descended from the heavens and raised the column. The miraculous
column began to shine and stopped in mid-air at a height of twelve
cubits.
Sweet-smelling myrrh began to flow from under the Holy Pillars
foundations, and the entire population of Mtskheta flocked to that
place to receive its blessing. Approaching the Life-giving Pillar, the
sick were healed, the blind received sight, and the paralyzed began to
walk.
By that time a certain Bishop John and his suite had arrived from
Constantinople. St. Constantine the Great sent a cross, an icon of the
Savior, a fragment from the Life-giving Cross of our Lord (from the
place where His feet lay), and a nail from His Crucifixion as gifts to
the newly enlightened King Mirian and his people.
At the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi Rivers in Mtskheta, the
king and queen, the royal court, and all the people of Kartli were
baptized into the Christian Faith. After the glorious baptism, Bishop
John and his retinue from Constantinople set off toward southern
Georgia, for the village of Erusheti. There they built churches and
presented the Christian community with the nail from our Lords
Crucifixion. Soon after, they began to construct Manglisi Church and
placed the fragment from the Life-giving Cross inside.
King Mirian wanted to keep some of the newly obtained sacred objects
in the capital city, but St.Nino informed him that one of the holiest
objects, the Robe of our Savior, was already located in Mtskheta. The
king summoned the priest Abiatar and inquired about the Robe, then
rejoiced greatly after Abiatar confirmed St. Ninos words that the Robe
of the Lord was held in the embrace of Sidonia, who was buried under
the stump of the cypress tree which now served as the pedestal for the
Life-giving Pillar.
At that time a lush, sweet-smelling, wonder-working tree grew up on a
mountain over Mtskheta and, at Bishop Johns suggestion, Prince Revi,
the son of King Mirian, ordered that the tree be chopped down and a
cross formed from its wood. The tree was chopped down and replanted,
without its roots, next to a church that was under construction. For
thirty-seven days the tree retained its original appearanceeven its
leaves did not fade or wither. Then, after thirty-seven days had
passed, three crosses were formed from its wood.
For many days after this miracle the people of Mtskheta saw a vision:
during the night a fiery cross shone above the church, surrounded by
stars. When morning came, two of the stars had moved away from the
cross in opposite directionsone to the west and the other to the east.
The fiery cross headed to the north, stopped for some time over the
hill on the other side of the River Aragvi, then disappeared.
St. Nino advised King Mirian to erect one of the three crosses in the
west, on Tkhoti Mountain, and another in the east, in the village of
Ujarma. But it was unclear where the third cross should be erected, so
King Mirian prayerfully beseeched the Lord to reveal to him the place.
The Lord heard his prayers and sent an angel to show him the place: a
rocky hill to the north of the capital, at the confluence of the
Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers. Today this hill is called Jvari (Cross) and
upon it towers the magnificent church of Jvari Monastery. At the
moment the cross was erected on this hill, all the idols in Mtskheta
fell and shattered to pieces.
Prior to his death King Mirian blessed his heir, Prince Bakar, and
urged him to dedicate his life to the Holy Trinity and fight
ceaselessly against idolaters. Then he peacefully reposed in the Lord.
According to his will, Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles King Mirian was
buried in the upper church at Samtavro, where today a convent in honor
of St. Nino is located. The king was too modest to be buried in the
lower church, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, in which the Life-giving
Pillar had been preserved.
Queen Nana reposed two years later and was buried next to her husband.
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Icon of the Mother of God of Gerbovets
The Gerbovets Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God was acknowledged as
wonderworking in the year 1859, but it was revered by believers of the
Kishinev diocese even earlier. According to Tradition, this icon was
brought to the Gerbovets monastery (Bessarabia, Romania) in the year
1790.
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Icon of the Mother of God of Barsk
The Barsk Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God is an ancient icon of
Byzantine origin from the Barsk monastery in the Podosk diocese. The
icon was historically venerated as holy by both Orthodox and
Catholics. The solemn celebration was established in 1887.
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Icon of the Mother of God of Kasperov
The Kasperov Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos during the Crimean War of
1853-1855 defended the city of Odessa against an incursion of hostile
forces. Archbishop Innocent (Borisov) directed "that this event should
not be forgotten in the teaching of posterity," and should be
commemorated on October 1. The icon had already been acknowledged as
wonderworking and glorified by the Holy Synod in 1840, after
investigation of a whole series of miracles. Before this, the image
had been kept by the landowner Juliana Ioannovna Kasperova, who
received it as a sacred family heirloom in 1809.
An Akathist is served every Friday at the Dormition Cathedral of
Odessa before the Kasperov Icon, which is also commemorated on June 29
and Bright Wednesday.
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St Melchizedek I, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
After the repose of Catholicos Simeon, leadership of the Georgian
Church passed to Catholicos Melchizedek I. St. Melchizedek led the
Church from approximately 1010 to 1030, during the reigns of Kings
Bagrat III, George I, and Bagrat IV.
It is believed that St. Melchizedek was the first Georgian Catholicos
to be commemorated as Catholicos-Patriarch.
According to historical sources, Catholicos Melchizedek was of a noble
lineage and was a pupil of King Bagrat III.
Under his leadership Svetitskhoveli Cathedral was restored and
adorned. He journeyed to Byzantium to raise funds for this project,
and while he was there he visited Emperor Basil II (the
Bulgar-slayer). St. Melchizedek returned to his motherland with
generous gifts and began the greatest construction project of the
century: the adornment of Svetitskhoveli Cathedral with gold, silver,
pearls, and precious stones.
St. Melchizedek made several journeys to Byzantium during his life,
and historians believe that during one of those visits the patriarchs
of the East approved Catholicos-Patriarch as the official title of the
chief shepherd of the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church.
History has preserved St. Melchizedeks will, in which he bequeathed a
long list of holy objects, monasteries, and villages to Svetitskhoveli
Cathedral. In his will the chief shepherd of the Georgian Church is
referred to as Catholicos-Patriarch. Melchizedeks will also reveals
that he specified the location where he wished to be buried. St.
Melchizedek was canonized on October 17, 2002.
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Terebovlya Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God
October 1 commemorates the transfer of the Terebovlya Icon of the
Mother of God from the town of Terebovlya to Lvov in 1672.
This icon of the Most Holy Theotokos originally appeared in the
principality of Galich during the time of the Terebovlya princes, in
the thirteenth, or perhaps as early as the twelfth century. After the
decline of the Galich principality in the thirteenth and fourteenth
centuries, Roman Catholics tried many times to seize the icon and
bring it to their own church.
The Orthodox believers of Galich and Terebovlya always prayed
fervently before the Terebovlya icon, asking the Mother of God to
protect them whenever Russia was attacked by enemy forces, and its
citizens were led into captivity.
In the spring of 1672, a Turkish army of 300,000 men took the town of
Kamenets Podolski. This same army was defeated at Terebovlya, and was
forced to retreat. The holy icon of the Mother of God was taken from
the Church of the Protection in town and moved to the church in the
ancient castle. There the people of Terebovlya thanked God for their
deliverance.
On the Feast of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God in 1672, the
Bishop of Lvov, with the clergy and the faithful, transferred the icon
to the cathedral of St George in Lvov so that it would not be stolen.
This translation took place when Bishop Joseph (Shumlyansky) of Lvov,
who later became a Uniate, was still a hierarch of the Orthodox
Church.
In 1973, when it was decided to celebrate the 300th anniversary of its
translation, the icon was provided with a gilded cover, thanks to the
efforts of Metropolitan Nicholas of Lvov and Ternopol.
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